Capital Boulevard


Capital Boulevard is a major thoroughfare in Wake County, North Carolina. At various points along the route, it carries NC 50, US 70, US 401, and US 1. It links Downtown Raleigh with its northeastern suburbs. It is one of the busiest corridors in Raleigh, with 63000 average daily vehicles near its intersection with I-440.

Route Description

Its southern terminus is at the northern edge of Downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. It begins as an urban expressway, with limited driveways and grade-separated interchanges through an industrial area north of Downtown, carrying two through lanes in each direction. After an interchange with I-440 it widens to 4 through lanes in each direction while also transitioning to a divided boulevard-grade roadway with signalized at-grade intersections and frequent driveways. The section between I-440 and I-540 is heavily commercial, saturated with shopping centers, anchored by Triangle Town Center, a large shopping mall near the interchange with I-540. North of I-540, the route becomes an arterial divided highway, with two lanes in each direction and a mixture of signalized intersections and grade-separated interchanges as it bypasses to the east of the Wakefield Plantation development of North Raleigh and to the west of the town of Wake Forest. Capital Boulevard ends at Purnell Road in Wake Forest, with the US 1 designation continuing on into Youngsville, Franklin County.

History

Capital Boulevard was originally named Downtown Boulevard as far north as its intersection with Wake Forest Road. North of Wake Forest Road it was known as North Boulevard.

Designations

The entirety of Capital Boulevard is part of a NC or US route. At its southern terminus, it carries US 401, US 70 and NC 50. US 70 and NC 50 leave Capital Boulevard at Wade Avenue. The road continues northward as US 401 until the interchange with I-440, where US 1 joins. US 401 leaves the road at Louisburg Road; the wide fly-over interchange between US 1 and US 401 is a major landmark of North Raleigh. From Louisburg Road to its northern terminus it carries US 1.

Major Intersections